In the past, when a user of an application program wished to add an image to a file created by that application, the user manually searched a database of images or surveyed a relatively large group of images organized into predetermined categories. Alternatively, the user might be required to pre-purchase access to a database of images prior to searching for an image relevant to the content of the document. In either case, the user would be required to indicate the relevant image by manually comparing a set of preselected images to the content of a document.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a simple and intuitive facility for enabling a user to choose an image relevant to the content of a document. The facility could be a stand alone application program or integrated with an existing application program, e.g., a word processor, slide show presentation or email program. It is also desirable to provide a facility that enables the user to purchase a chosen image and indicate the quality and options associated with the purchased image. Also, the facility should enable the purchased image to be viewed and printed with any widely available application program.